White Sauce Pasta, Customized

            The title may sound funny, weird. We customize everything on earth. Why not we, customize our cooking as per our taste and beyond that, with the common ingredients in our kitchen, making it also more heathy. No mixed herbs, no Maida, cheese only if available. It may be argued that Pasta is made of Maida, not said to be healthy. The water is drained after cooking. Ghee and Butter can be taken as lubricants once in a while.

        Hot Pastas with the flavor of Capsicum. pepper, hot milk is very much relished by us during winter days. Our Pasta, I doubt, may not be liked even by my grandkids as they are very much used to the real taste of the Pastas enjoyed in the Italian restaurants. For us, going to such eateries are once in a blue moon. So, unaccustomed to the original taste, my preparation is the best for us. May be a funny logic but an honest one.

White Sauce Pasta, customized

Ingredients :

Pasta 1 cup

Milk 1 cup

Small carrot 1 

Onion 1

Capsicum 1 

Garlic, chopped 1 tsp.

Butter / Chee 1 tbsp.

Chilly powder 1 pinch

Pepper powder 1.5 tsp.

Wheat Flour 1 tbsp.

Chilly Powder / Flakes, Salt

Oil 2 tsp.

Method :

Chop the onion, carrot and capsicum.

Cook the Pasta till it becomes soft by adding a tsp. of oil and a pinch of salt. Drain the water and set aside.

Heat a Tawa, add 1 tsp. of oil, add the finely chopped garlic, onion and sauté , then add the chopped carrot and capsicum. Add salt to taste and 0.5 tsp. of chilly powder or flakes and 1 tsp. of pepper powder. Sauté for 2 minutes. Mix well. Switch off.

Heat another broad sauce pan, add the butter or Ghee. then add the wheat Flour or Maida, depending on the availability. My preference is wheat flour. Sauté for a minute on a low flame for a minute. Add the milk, mix well to avoid lumps. Let the flour get cooked on a medium flame with constant stirring for 1 minute.

Add the cooked pasta and mix well. Keep on stirring well for a minute, with an addition of 0.5 tsp. of pepper powder, again.

Add the onion and vegetables, sautéed. Mix well on a very low flame for a minute. Mixing a tbsp. of grated cheese is optional. 

Now the piping, yummy and creamy white sauce Pasta, healthy and enriched with onion, carrot, capsicum, pepper powder and milk is ready. What else can be a perfect food on a winter day, either for breakfast or dinner. Taking the Pasta, 30 mins. after cooking is ideal on a hot day. Anyway, we take it at least once in a month, with small packets of Pasta, sold even in middle towns. White Sauce Pasta is our comfort food.

Uzhundhang Kanji

   This Kanji can be taken as a simplified version of the Uzhundhang Kali. This is very easy to prepare and has a rich nutritive value.

                                                                     Uzhundhang Kanji.

Ingredients :

Whole or broken Urad Dhal / Uzundham Paruppu   2 tbsp.

Raw rice  1tbsp.

Powdered Vellam / Jaggery / Karuppatty   8 Tbsp.

Cardamom Powder, Sukku Powder

Method :

Rinse the Dhal and Rice and soak for 30 minutes. Grind to a fine paste in a mixer jar as done for Dosai batter by adding water, 

Then transfer to a thick bottomed sauce pan. Add 5 cups of water and boil it. Then slowly add the Dhal, rice paste and keep on stirring on a low flame. The mixture starts thickening in 2 minutes. Keep on stirring to avoid lumps. Add the Jaggery powder, mix well and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add a pinch of Cardamom powder and 0.5 tsp. of Sukku powder. Mix well and switch off. The easy to make, tasty and healthy Kanji is ready. Even 2 tbsp. of grated coconut can be added with the the rice and dhal for an enhanced taste,

Time taken 10 minutes

Finished product 5 cups.

Nombu Kanji

                                     This can also be called Ramalan Fasting Kanji.Thanks to the Islamic Brotherhood for giving this Universal Comfort Food. The recipe has been read by me in a few magazines.
                               After fasting for nearly 12 hours, this Kanji, nutritious with less spices and oil is highly recommended.It is also easy to prepare and it is very healthy.
                             

Nombu Kanji

Ingredients :

Rice Kurunai or Rice granules              4 tbsp.
Pasi paruppu                                       1 tbsp.
White Rava or Samba Rava                   1 tbsp.
Big Onion                                             1
Finely chopped ginger and garlic            2 tsp.
Green chilly                                         1 or 2
Carrot or Potato                                 1
Mustard or Zeera or Sombu.
Coconut ( optional )

Method :

1. Heat 1 tsp. of oil, add the mustard or Sombu or any two or all the three, according
    to your taste.

2. The add the finely chopped onions, chillies and then the finely chopped vegetables
     and a little salt. Saute well.

3. Boil 5 cups of water in a 3 lit. pressure cooker, add the dhal,rava and slowly add the 
    rice granules with constant stirring. Otherwise, lumps may be formed

4. Add  salt,the sauteed onion and vegetables. Stir well and close the lid after checking  
    the vent and place the weight.

5. After 3 whistles, reduce the flame and let it simmer for 5 mins.Then off the flame.

6. After the steam subsidises, open the lid, add grated coconut or finely coconut paste
    and let it simmer for 2 mins.

7. Adding a cup of thick coconut milk gives a very rich taste.

Note :

People who do not prefer onions, sombu, garlic and ginger can avoid them.

Health conscious elderly can avoid coconut.Any rice, raw or boiled rice can be used.

This can also be cooked in an any thick bottomed vessel.

I add the onion and veg. directly in the cooker without even sauteeing at times for a
change and not due to laziness. Yet the taste remains the same without losing much
flavour.